


Drunk Objections

by RosexKnight



Series: Tumblr Wedding Prompts [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-21
Packaged: 2018-08-16 12:35:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8102605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosexKnight/pseuds/RosexKnight
Summary: regalcoquiprincess Prompted: "I am drunk and am objecting at my TL's wedding (at least Im convinced he is) and you drag me out before I keep embarrassing myself?"





	1. Chapter 1

“Are you drunk?”

“‘Course not. I’m perfectly fine.”

Neal frowned at his father as he settled beside him on the pew. He’d stumbled on his way in, which he played off flawlessly as trouble with his cane, but the tell-tale signs were there. His accent was thicker, his cheeks had a pink twinge, and, probably the most important factor, in a few moments Belle was going to be walking down the aisle to the groom at the front of the church, currently laughing with his best man.

Neal had to admit, it really wasn’t fair for his father to be upset. He and Belle were friends. Close friends. But it wasn’t like he ever got the courage up to tell her. On the outside, he’d supported her relationship with Gaston, even selling the man the very ring that was on Belle’s finger (“You have no idea what she’d like do you? Here. This is the one. Don’t argue, dearie. She’s been eyeing it for years.”), but truly he hated the fact that she was getting married. Neal was certain he wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for the fact Belle had given him his invitation and personally asked him to be there.

“Papa.” Neal said as the rest of the wedding party began their procession down the aisle, Ruby and Ariel holding bouquets of roses. “Maybe we should–”

The doors opened, and the church stood. Belle emerged, her father on her arm. Her dress looked as if it had been hand-made for her, hugging the curves of her torso perfectly until falling away from her hips in a gorgeous ball gown that made her look as if she were a rose in bloom.

“She looks like a princess…” Gold whispered.

Belle’s gaze wavered from Gaston to the audience, and she smiled brighter as she found his father’s gaze. Neal swallowed as Gold went rigid, something shifting inside of him as they sat down.

This would not end well.

“Dearly beloved…” Dr. Hopper began, “We are gathered here today…”

The words blurred together as Neal glanced to his father. His hands were balled into fists against his leg, knuckles turning white. The storming emotions in him were practically visible. It was like watching a bomb tick away, the explosion inevitable.

“If anyone objects to this union…” Oh no. “Speak now…” No no no. “Or forever hold your peace.”

Gold stood up so quickly he wobbled, having forgone the cane despite it being right beside him.

“I object.”

Every eye on them were on them in a moment. And we’re Belle’s eyes actually hopeful? Neal groaned.

“Papa…” Neal murmured, but Gold was not having it.

“I object.” Gold said again, his eyes on Belle’s. “You can’t marry him.”

His words were slurring in his thick accent. Neal stood, taking the cane in hand and touching his father’s shoulder. “Papa. Not now.”

Gold jerked away. “Don’t stop me, Neal.” Whispers erupted in the church as Gold moved out of the pew, having to lean heavily on it to stop from stumbling again. “Please, Belle, you can’t…”

Neal frowned, standing to try and guide his father back “Papa, stop. It’s too late for this.”

“No it’s not!” Gold snapped, resisting as Neal pulled him away. “It can’t be!”

Neal had never been more grateful for alcohol in his entire life. If it weren’t for the buzz his father had, he would have never been able to drag him down the aisle and out of the church before he could make a bigger fool of himself.

The town would no doubt be talking for months to come about this. Neal could only hope people would be smart enough to keep it to themselves. He doubted he could stop his father from kicking anyone to the street.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon Asked: "What happened after Neal dragged a drunk gold out of the chapel ?"

“What were you thinking?!” Neal snapped. “You had all this time and you choose now to tell her? When you’re drunk at her wedding?”

“She’s making a mistake…” Gold defended lamely from the chair Neal had set him down in.

They hadn’t gotten far. Neal was strong but he wasn’t able to drag his father all the way home. They were out of the sanctuary, at least. Gold had flopped down in a chair, the fight gone out of him.

“I’m a fool…” Gold ran his hands through his hair, the delightful buzz of alcohol giving way to bitter numbness. “A damn fool.”

Neal paused. He couldn’t deny it. His father definitely was. But the fact was, his hands were trembling against his forehead. His father was hurting. Because the fact was, Belle had been the only woman he cared about, truly, since his mother. A pang of guilt ran through Neal. Perhaps he shouldn’t have pulled him from that church after all…

“Come on, papa.” Neal said, breaking the silence. “Let’s go home.”

His father looked to him, panic surging in his eye. “I can’t.”

“Papa…”

“I have to see her. I have to know she’s happy despite my foolishness.”

“But…”

Both of them paused as the door opened and the clicking of heels echoed through the empty hallway. A peek of a white skirt appeared from the corner. and Neal exhaled his breath.

“Belle.” Gold breathed beside him, looking somewhere between relieved and terrified.

Belle herself was unreadable, though a peek of concern edged around her eyes.

“Everything alright?” Neal asked when neither of them spoke.

“Yeah.” Belle finally said, giving him a small smile. “Ruby is running damage control.”

“I’ll, uh…go help.” He said, stepping away from the two of them, letting them have their privacy.

His footsteps fell away, and Gold couldn’t make eye contact as the sound of the door closing followed.

“I’m sorry.” He finally said.

“You dummy.” Belle muttered, and before Gold could utter another word, Belle was in his lap, arms wrapped around him. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ashadeofpemberley Asked: "Did Belle know before Gold's outburst that he didn't want for her to get married? Or that he had feelings for her?"

“Why didn’t you say anything before?”

The question still rang in his ear as Belle’s hands moved across his back idly, soothing away any sort of fear he might of had simply out of habit. It was a very good question. Why HADN’T he said anything before? Right now, with Belle in his lap and his arms snaking around her, he couldn’t remember.

“You were with him, Belle.” Gold tried to defend.

“Not at first.”

Gold faltered. That had been his whole argument. In his lap, Belle deflated. She’d been so ready, she told herself. It was all supposed to make sense. Gaston had proposed. Gold had never so much as taken her on a date. She’d wanted him to, of course. When they had first met she was all but throwing herself at him with outfits that showed off a little too much, flimsy excuses to go into the shop, and even so much as changing her daily routine so she could walk past him on her way to Granny’s. But nothing had ever escalated past a friendship. A good friendship. Gold had been her best friend besides Ruby. When he objected, drunk or not, it had all clicked for her. Ruby had been the one to take her bouquet and tell her to go handle it. That she’d handle the wedding.

Belle pulled away, shifting in his lap to put her weight on his good leg. She fiddled with her engagement ring. “You picked this out didn’t you?”

Gold’s eyes flickered to hers, and suddenly he was caught. His Adam’s apple bobbed in a swallow, feeling like a fish on the deck of a boat. Slowly, he nodded.

“Yes.”

Belle, nodded, taking it off. “I didn’t think it was my size.”

“I had it fitted the first time you expressed interest in it.” Gold confessed, an apologetic smile quirking at his lips. “I knew what rings fit you in the shop. It was no matter to match them.

“You wanted to give it to me.” Gold nodded, and Belle frowned. “Why didn’t you?”

“I--”

“You’ve never even held my hand!” Belle squeaked, her eyes holding something more than simple hurt. She had every right to be hurt. This was all probably confusing her to no end. “If I’m marrying the wrong person today then why didn’t you tell me sooner? Why weren’t you the one to give me this ring?”

Gold’s eyes turned pleading. He wanted to look away, but Belle’s held his gaze to hers, and with her on his lap he couldn’t run away. He had to say something. Tell her everything. But that also meant confessing that he was nothing but a coward when it came to her. Any other woman he could have on his arm, wining and dining and charming to no end. But with Belle...

“I was afraid.” Gold finally admitted, shaking his head. “You were...You deserve the world, Belle, and I would gladly give that to you. But I thought, once you had it, you’d wake up and realize your mistake and leave.”

There was a silence. Belle only blinked at him, but after a moment the corner of her lips quirked into a smile, and she laughed.

“You big dummy.” She repeated, and then she was kissing him.

Gold’s head swam with the feeling of her soft lips on his. His arms tightened around her, starved for her touch. His lips moved with hers, not wanting to scare her off with the sheer need that bubbled inside of him. When she pulled away, his lips followed, wanting more of her. Wanting everything.

“I have to go tell everyone the wedding’s off.”

Deftly, Gold nodded.

“And give the ring back to Gaston.”

“Right.”

“And then we can talk later tonight about...us.”

“Us.”

“Yes. Us.” She smiled. “Surely you don’t object to that.”

“Never.” She loved to climb off of him, but Gold held her there a moment longer, a question still lingering in his mind. “Are you happy.”

Again, Belle laughed. Gold felt as if he were missing something until she leaned forward and gave his nose a peck. “I am now.”


End file.
